Ties that Bind
by Lady Grail
Summary: This story is an AU based on right after Joanie is killed and Elle and Jimmy return home and start to change, but Jake does not show up to wreck evil shenanigans. However, his curse is not over.
1. Chapter 1

Elle stood over the body of the werewolf on the floor and the armed cops and animal control officers made crud jokes and comments to one another. The monster's brains were on the floor and Elle knew that she and her brother were free, free of this curse. Elle could still feel her heart pounding in her chest and the aura of adrenaline left her shaky and in shock.

"It's over right?" Jimmy asked. Elle looked at him and saw the same signs of worry and fatigue. She took a deep breath and composed herself; she had to be strong, for him.

"Joanie's dead, so we're OK now…" Elle trailed off.

"Well, that's subjective, we still have to go back to our pathetic pre-cursed lives."

"I'm personally ok with that." Giving him the big sister look. His ability to make jokes after all the death and destruction was so, so, Jimmy.

"Well you're not in high school," Jimmy teased. Elle had to smile. They walked out the side exit trying to avoid the police as much as possible. At some point, Elle knew someone would track them down; ask a million questions, but not tonight. Not with the body of a skinny blonde naked woman lying on the floor of the ruined club with god only knows how many police bullets in her. All Elle wanted to do was to get home, shower and crawl into bed and forget this night, as if that was even possible.

Elle and Jimmy returned home to find the door wide open, claw marks everywhere and dog food scattered across the kitchen floor. Elle looked about expecting Jake to be there, could he have done all this?

"What happened?" Elle asked. She has worked so hard to keep the house like their parents had left it before they died. It almost broke her heart but she let that sadness turn to anger and annoyance to give her strength to keep on going.

"Zipper," Jimmy said. He still could not believe that a dog bit a werewolf and turn into a worse monster. He looked around and based on how Elle was standing he knew she was pissed which made Jimmy feel even more guilty. This mess, at least, was his fault.

"Are you OK?" Jimmy asked looking at the mess.

"I will be." Elle said and began to pick up pots and pans to put on the counter to wash.

Elle was in battle mode as she attacked the mess with her cleaning, but even with this distraction she could not help but think about Jake. He had tried to explain things to Elle before Joanie attacked and she never gave him the chance. All Elle could think about was how Jake had put himself in front of Elle to fend off Joanie before she attacked and while she…changed. Joanie had been merciless. Elle could still see the blood where she had torn into Jake. Supposedly werewolves were supposed to heal, but he did not get up, and even as she played back the moment in her head, Elle could swear she saw his inside leaking out. Was he dead? With too many people in the club, Elle had not taken the time to look for Jake, and now, despite everything, she felt guilty that she had not checked for him.

"What's wrong? Are you worried about Jake?" Jimmy asked. "His secret is out, he had to disappear."

Elle cringed and cleaned faster. "I don 't want to talk about it Ok?" Elle said. Cleaning had always been her great coping skill.

"I know you think that he's a good guy, Ellie," Jimmy said, trying to convince himself as much as her, Damn it he had liked Jake! Bastard! "But don't forget, all of this…everything we've been through, is because of him. When it comes down to it, a monster is still a monster."

"Jimmy that's enough," Elle snapped.

"I guess some things never change." Jimmy pouted.

Elle let Jimmy's words sink in. He was right. How close had they come to being monsters themselves? Elle didn't even want to think about what that life would be like.

"Do you think you can get us some light?" Elle asked.

"Yeah, yeah. I'll check the circuit breaker."

Elle started to clean and heard a noise.

"How are you doing with those lights?" Elle called.

"Yeah, one second." Jimmy yelled and fiddled with the electrical panel shocking himself on the circuit breaker. "Shit!"

"Is everything ok down there?" Elle called.

"Yeah it's fine, I just…." The lights flicked on.

"Thank you." Elle called. She finished sweeping in her little corner of the kitchen and turned towards the fridge. Brushing the broom across the floor, something shiny caught the light. Elle leaned down and picked up the silver-serving knife that had been from her parent's wedding. As she held the handle, something changed as smoke and burning started. Elle tried to hold on but the pain was too much.

Elle's heart was racing and she looked at the clock, it was close to midnight. Something was wrong! Heart racing Elle backed away from the knife as if that would change anything. They were supposed to be free! Joanie was dead, right? Elle wanted to yell for Jimmy but a wave of pain dropped her to her knees.

Meanwhile in the basement, Jimmy was going through his own changes. Looking at the burn on his fingertip, Jimmy watched as the flesh went from burnt red to healthy pink in seconds under the swinging basement light, but then his watched in horror as claws began to form. Heart racing, Jimmy watched as claws popped out of his sneakers as he heard his sister scream. Faster than he thought possible Jimmy was up the stairs and back in the kitchen where he found Elle on the ground in pain.

"What is happening?" Elle asked as her gold eyes flashed pain and desperation.

"This shouldn't be happening!" Jimmy said. "The curse should be broken!"

"It's not," Elle growled, getting to her knees.

Now it was jimmy's turn to be bent over double by the pain of the change. It was all Elle and Jimmy could do to fight the change and keep on breathing.

Then the door opened.

Bo stood in the door way, holding a something tightly in his hand, with such a puppy dog look on his face that Jimmy was startled enough to forget his own pain. But then the wind hit and all that changed as both Jimmy and Elle caught the scent of blood. Clenched in Bo's hand was a dog collar that was soaked in dried and sticky blood.

"They shot your dog…"Bo said choking out the words, and then he saw Jimmy's eyes and froze.

"Zipper," Jimmy managed to say, but it was Elle who took action.

"We need to get out of here before we hurt someone," Elle said grabbing Jimmy's arm and pulling him past Bo.

All Elle knew was that Jimmy smelled like food. The dog blood on the collar made it worse, like an appetizer for the main course. All Elle knew was that she was going to do everything in her power that if she and Jimmy were going to turn into monsters at least they would not be murders.

Bo grabbed Jimmy's arm. "Let me drive you."

"Are you nuts," Elle growled."

"Think about it, you are in the middle of the city, if you are going to change, then you need to get the hills," Bo said.

"Elle, he's right," Jimmy, said, being over double again as fangs formed in his mouth. Elle felt the same wave but managed to hide it as her hands grew claws and dug into Jimmy's arm.

"Ow!" Jimmy snarled but some how the pain pushed back the change, and he looked more, human. Elle and Jimmy exchanged a look.

"Hit me," Elle ordered.

"What?" Jimmy stammered.

"Hit, me!" Elle snarled, "It is slowly the change."

Without another word, Jimmy lashed out and popped Elle in the nose. Red and stars flashed before her eyes but the pain of the change retreated.

"Get in the car." Bo said and slid into the front seat.

"We don't want to hurt you," Jimmy said.

"Then get in," Bo shouted as the engine roared to life. Elle pulled Jimmy into the back as the car screamed out of the driveway fully speed. Elle and Jimmy hunkered low in the back seat, hands on each other's arms, fighting the change. Every time something flared up and forced claws, fangs, or fur to surface, Elle and Jimmy dug their claws into one another's forearms. Blood was all over the back of Bo's leather seats as their feet tore through their shoes into the soft leather and foam.

Bo, despite all the growls, snarls, rips, tears, and whimpers kept driving full speed in the mountains of Mulholland. Granted there were multimillion-dollar houses up here but also the wild life reserves that had less people. Somehow he managed to get to the trailhead, and slid into the dirt.

Elle and Jimmy leapt out of the back of the car. Elle took off full run into the hills. Jimmy paused to look back at Bo.

"Go!" Bo yelled.

Jimmy nodded his shaggy head and took off into the night.

"Take care of each other," Bo said and turned to survey the damage done to his beautiful car.


	2. Chapter 2

Ties that Bind Ch. 2

Elle and Jimmy tore through the underbrush of the southern California canyons. There were moments when the breaking and reforming of bones, tissues, fur… stopped them in their tracks, but the supernatural drive to run pushed them on. For the moment the only thing either of them could focus on was the need to hunt …and to feed. The smell of the late night wilds of the southern California brush land that filled the valley was overwhelming to the senses. Each tree, plant, bug and critter had its unique smell and even in the dead of night they were not alone.

Digging into the soft earth they ran. The scent of human hikers, bikers, and other wanders were vague but still present. The wind changed and a new, fresh smell filled the air. Jimmy turned and drew the eye line of Elle towards a small light in the distance. Without a sound, they turned in unison and began to run towards the light.

Nestled in the canyon was a small tent that looked almost like a glowing little pimple against the dark under brush and the shade of an old oak tree. The hot and sweaty smells filled the air that stirred the blood of both the wolves. The instinct of hunt grew stronger. Elle froze. Her human memories flooded in against the new desire to kill. Each part of the wolf in her called to give into her desire to attack and she could remember back to when she tasted blood back at the studio and how hard it had been to not attack her co-workers. Something about that memory snapped her back to her human senses and she tackled Jimmy so as to stop him from attacking.

There was a scream from the girl when the couple heard the wolves growling, snarling and fighting but Elle was able to push Jimmy back and they slid further down the canyon and in the dirt. Elle dug her claws into her brother as his teeth dug into her arm. Somehow as the pushed and rolled and fell into the cactus that seemed to wake them both up as the brambles and thrones tore into their fur. It hurt but at the same time it was enough to help them stop and stand facing one another panting for breath.

Elle tried to talk. Joanie had been able to speak somehow when in her werewolf form but the words refused to come and came out as whimpers and grunts and high pitched whines. And yet Jimmy seemed to understand. He backed down, ears back and whimpered. His stomach growled and he looked back the direction they came from. Not far from their spot a branch broke and both the wolves froze, ear up, and took in a deep breath. The scent of a deer caught their attention. As if there was a cue, they crept back down the canyon away from the campers and other humans. The deer stood down wind, even then the two knew they would have to take care to surprise the doe.

With the new instincts and hunger so strong they fell upon the deer. The poor creature did not have a chance. Elle grabbed the head and a sound of the crack startled her as she twisted the neck with her claws. The blood that poured through her fingers and the hunger took over. Jimmy was already face first into the belly of the deer digging into the vital organs. Elle could not hold back any longer and she turned and joined her brother in feeding and let the darkness of the wolf over take her.


	3. Chapter 3

Ties that Bind Chapter 3

Instinct is a funny thing; despite all that she had been through Elle could not help but be protective of her brother. This was her fault because she had been the one who had failed to keep him safe. Even in the darkness with the scents and smell of the California wilderness pressing in around them, she kept her body between their opening of the burrow and Jimmy's sleeping form. Still, this also had several disadvantages since neither one of them had a scrap of clothing left after the shift that had occurred under the full moon. Jimmy had one arm over her stomach and was spooning her. Elle had been awake for some time and was very aware of the attributes that made her brother a normal red bodied male. Still she did not move. The leaves under her skin itched and the dirt had absorbed the warmth of their bodies. Elle was surprised at how warm Jimmy's skin was and remember that Jake always seemed to run hot when she touched. Just thinking of Jake made a clenched knot in her stomach. Why hadn't it worked? Elle's thoughts once again returning to the image of Joanie's corpse on the floor with her brains blown out. The legend had said that if you kill the werewolf who bit you that you would become human again. Elle suppressed a shudder. She wasn't human any more, and the legend had been just that, only a legend. Elle hated to admit it, but the only one she could turn to for answers was Jake. 

Elle remember the night when he had stopped her, when she had seen the Mark of the Beast on his hand as be broke the window to her car and stolen her keys. She had been so afraid of him, afraid of what he was and what that meant. But more importantly, she remembered the look in Jake's eyes as he tried to explain to her what was going on. Memories flashed to the pain hidden there and the need to explain but to something else as well, something that was more of a predator as he tried to have her see past her fear.  
A branch broke nearby and Elle went ridge. She used every part of her new werewolf senses to try and make out if the noise came from an animal or something else. It took her a few moments to realize she was not the only one frozen and listening. Jimmy had gone ridge behind her, his hand pressed now firmly into her waist. Elle turned to look back at her brother as he flushed crimson at his own n***. She shook her head and lifted one finger to her lips to remain silent and mimed with her fingers that she would move forward and check things out. It was written all over Jimmy's face that he did NOT think this was a good idea but she gave him her best big sister look that said 'Deal with it'. Elle pushed herself onto her hands and knees as Jimmy silently moved back. The sudden loss of his warmth was almost unnerving but Elle pressed on. 

With slow steady progression she lifted one foot up and then her hand, moving slowly so as to not make any noise as she moved. Her body responded in ways she could not believe as she moved out of the burrow and into the brush. Looking out into the sunlight, Elle realized they had found a spot under an old oak tree that provided her with ample covering and numerous wet damp leaves to hide the sound of her movement. Still it was not enough.

"I know you are there," a familiar voice said. 

Elle froze. Jake was there. Peering through the leaves, Elle could see him with a bag and backpack in hand, dressed in torn jeans, grey t-shirt and simple canvas shoes. A small growl escaped her lips on its own and Jake's gaze immediately shifted in her direction.  
"I came to help," he said, and tossed the bag and backpack at her.  
The bags barreled through the brush and Elle caught them. She looked back at Jake who nodded and stepped away. Elle watched as Jake moved away to give her space. When he was a good distance off, she opened the bag. At first glance it held baby wipes, tooth pastes, water, and shoes. Elle tossed the backpack over her shoulder and headed backwards towards the burrow. Jimmy was there doing the best to cover himself with his hands. Elle tossed him the backpack.

"Can we trust him?" were the first words out of Jimmy's mouth. 

Elle shrugged. "I don't know but I want to get all this blood and mud off."

With that Elle dug out the baby wipes and began to furiously rub her skin as she turned her back on Jimmy. She could hear the zipper open as he tossed over her head something clothing. Already, by scent, Elle knew that these were her clothes. Jake had grabbed her a sports bra, underwear, sweat pants, and a t-shirt. The simple canvas shoes that were in her bag looked cheap and brand new.  
"Can you get my back?" Elle asked handing the wipes to Jimmy.  
"Sure if you will do mine," he said wiping down between her shoulder blades in a smooth even stroke. Elle nodded and allowed Jimmy to clean her while she finished with her stomach, legs and chest. They were rapidly going through the wipes but being clean made her feel almost human. It was short work to wiggle into her clothing and turned to help Jimmy. He already had on pants and shoes. Elle made short work of cleaning his back. They used up the tooth paste and drank the water before cleaning up and stuffing all the used wipes, bottles, and toiletries back into the bag and the bag stuffed into the backpack. Without a word Jimmy slipped on the backpack and stood up. 

"We need answers," he said. 

Elle knew he was right but she still was nervous about facing Jake. All this time Jake had been a werewolf and hid his true nature from her and now more than ever she was questioning whether or not her feelings for him had been real or merely part of the power a werewolf seemed to have. Jimmy had called it an aura that made werewolves irresistible to the opposite sex, but now things were different.

Elle lead the way back towards where Jake was sitting. He looked almost peaceful in the grass as he over looked the canyon. Elle stood there a moment watching him, a jumble of emotions, needs, and twisting thoughts.

"What happened?" Jimmy asked, and with that one sentence, it covered so much and so little.

Jake turned towards them. "Can we talk?" 

"No, you can explain," Elle said suddenly angry. "Why did the cure not work?" 

The moment the words left her mouth another realization hit her and she choked out the next words. "Joanie's not dead." 

"Oh, she's dead alright," Jake said. 

"Then why did we change?" Jimmy demanded. 

Jake let out a sigh, "Because of me." 

Elle's eyes went big," But you didn't bite us." 

Jake shook his head. "It doesn't matter. Joanie became a werewolf because of me. I was born a werewolf, so the source of the curse comes from me." 

"So, you bit Joanie," Jimmy said. 

Jake's eyes narrowed. "No, she bit me. Until then I thought only a bite from a werewolf could change a person, but now I know different. The curse is in our blood." 

"Great, so because Joanie was a sadomasochistic psycho b*** were are stuck like this," Jimmy said. 

Jake just nodded. "That's one way to put it." 

Elle had an enough, the dread, fear, and terror suddenly poured over her and she started to hyper ventilate. Both Jake and Jimmy were at her side as she knelt in the dirt. 

"Elle, breathe," Jake said, showing her how. 

"Elle, its ok," Jimmy said and Elle just shook her head. 

"It's not ok, I can't live like this, you can't live like this, Ohgodohgodohgod!" Elle panted. 

"You can and we will," Jimmy said, "Just breathe." 

Elle curled into a ball and screamed, letting out all the tension and fear. Something about that primordial sound cued something deep in Jimmy and Jake. For a moment their eyes changes from human to the golden fire of the werewolves they were and each reached down and held Elle as she wailed and wept in their arms. 

For a time they just stayed there holding one another. Jake continued to whisper words that neither Jimmy nor Elle could recognize but something about them made both their hearts slow and a calm filled them. Jake was stroking Elle's hair and Jimmy rubbed her back after slipping his hand under her shirt. Skin to skin contact seemed to help Elle get a grip on herself. 

"Thank you," she whispered and pulled away from the boys. They let her go a few feet off and compose herself. 

"What happens next?" Jimmy asked Jake. 

Jake had to admit that he was impressed with how Elle and Jimmy had handled their first full moon. That after tracking them from the camp where the campers had been it still surprised Jake that they had not killed the human couple upon finding them. Jake could remember how it was to watch new werewolves react on instinct and kill whatever prey happened across their path after the first full moon. Jake was certain that Joanie had killed and he had blamed himself for not paying more attention to the news and reports of animal kills in his area. 

Jake looked at the two of them. Each one radiated anxiety, fear, and a desperate need for a pack and someone to lead them. Jake silently cursed himself. This was why he left back east; why he was so careful not to bite anyone, and why he played the field. He hated responsibilities, hated having people need him. Why then did he come out here? When things got complicated, he ran, it was what he did. Elle looked up at him with those big brown eyes, and there was something raw there, a hurt that he wanted to fill. Before it was what had drawn him to her, what tempted him in for what he thought would have been a one night stand, but once he had her, knew her, things had changed. There was a strength in her, something beyond the vulnerable face. Even now, when he had found them, he had seen it in the way she protected her brother.

"First, we need to get back to civilization, people will have questions and personally I don't want a search party coming after any of us." Jake offered Elle his hand. "Look, I know this is going to be hard and I will answer all your questions best I can, but things are going to be much harder." 

"Is there a cure?" Elle asked. 

Jake winced. "Yes, and no." 

"What does that mean?" Jimmy asked, clenching his fists. 

"Look, this is not the time or place to talk about this," Jake said trying not have his own hackles rise in response to the younger wolf. 

"When is the right GOD DAMN TIME?" Jimmy snarled. 

Faster than she could blink Jake had Jimmy on the ground, pressed into the dirt, with Jake's knee in his chest. Both had sprouted claws, fangs, and eyes, but it was Elle reaction that caught all of them by surprise. She was small but fast, her own claws were embedding in Jake's neck a fraction of an inch from his artery and windpipe. 

"Let. Him. Go." Elle said in a low steady voice, still human. 

"Steady, let us step back." Jake slowly reverted to his human form. Elle's claws retracted and even Jimmy shifted back. Elle kept her fingers on Jake's neck until Jimmy could wiggle out of range. 

Jake started again. "We cannot keep fighting one another. You are young and new to this," Jake shot Jimmy a hard look. "One day, when you know more, and have more control, we can do this dance again, but I do not want to kill you," Jake looked at Elle. "Either of you, but if you force me to, I will." 

"Why did I do that?" Jimmy asked, looking down at his human hands. 

"For wolves, especially who are new to a pack, the battle for dominance is a constant struggle until that is determined. You don't see me as your alpha yet. However I was hoping your human side might be stronger and allow you to accept me as your alpha." 

"Why would we do that?" Elle asked. 

"Werewolves are strong, stronger in packs. But we are also human, and our people side is the one that can make or break us." Jake took a step away from the siblings. There was more to packs that the simple explanation he was offering. A pack could be so many things, a family, a cult, an enclave, or a prison. "I know I cannot answer all your questions here. I do not want to fight you either." 

"How can we trust you?" Elle asked. 

"Right now, you can't, and I understand that. I will have to fight to earn back your trust, Elle. But for the moment, I am all that you got."


	4. Chapter 4

Ties that Bind ch 4

The journey back to human civilization to less time than Elle had hoped. The three of them moved incredibly fast and made it to the car that Jimmy and Elle had abandoned in their rush to get away. Jimmy stopped dead as they approached the car. Elle kept her eyes on the old Jeep that was parked next to the sports car, it was easier to wait a moment before she forced herself to look at the damage done. Elle turned to look at the car, half wondering why it was still there. Bo was thankfully nowhere nearby and his scent was faint mostly coming for the car itself. It was quick to see the reason for the abandonment of the car. Both front tired were full of what appeared to be thorns, and slash marks. _How had that happened? _ Elle wondered as they approached but it was the carnage in the back seat of the car that made her give a small gasp.

Jimmy just was dead quiet looking at the wrecked leather, torn carpet, and claw marks that decorated the interior. Thankfully there were no signs of blood. The fragments of their clothing were strewn across the floor and in front of the car. Thankfully Elle could see the foot prints in the dirt leading back to the road, or what could have been a dirt road and back towards town. Hopefully Bo had managed to catch a ride back into LA.

"I can't believe we did this," Jimmy said. Elle nodded. Jake shrugged and walked over to the jeep unlocking the door.

"I'm more impressed that neither one of you tried to eat the driver," Jake said as Elle and Jimmy both shot Jake a pained look.

Jake held open the door, "Actually, you two have kind blow away the curve when it comes to being a bitten werewolf. Most times, they act more like Joanie, and have to be put down, once they are discovered."

"Is that what you were planning to do if you found her?" Jimmy asked. Jake shrugged again.

"If she crossed my path, especially on a full moon, probably, but I wasn't hunting her." Jake, turned to the back door and held it open for Elle. "Hop in."

Elle looked at the open door. In the back of her mind the wolf silently whined about getting into an enclosed space, but Jimmy seemed to have no issues as he walked around and climbed in on the other side. Elle, let out the breath she had been holding and looked at Jake. "I want you to tell us what you can. I want to know why you didn't stop her when she was killing people." Elle held Jake's eyes with a stare that bordered on calling out her wolf. He held her gaze, before giving her a curt nod.

"Fine, get in."

Elle ignored his out stretched hand and climbed into the car next to Jimmy. Despite being buckled in, she still pressed her body in front of his, giving him her back. Jimmy was wise enough not too comment or maybe it just felt safe to him as well. Jake started the Jeep and the engine roar made Elle jump a little, and Jake pulled back into the dirt and on to what was a road of sorts. The crunch of the gravel and tires, along the new myriad of sounds that flooded the car, kept both Elle and Jimmy quiet overwhelmed until Jake made it back onto the pavement. After a few minutes to acclimate Elle, found her voice.

"Why were you not hunting Joanie the moment bodies started to show up?" Elle demanded. "Didn't you care? Or heck even worry about being found out?"

Jake ground his teeth and took a breath counting slowly to ten in his head before responding to Elle. Granted she was new, she was scared, and needed to exert some control, but he hated to questioned like that, as if this was all his fault and that he had almost planned for these terrible things to happen.

"I was worried about being discovered," Jake said slowly. "That is why I tried to stay out of it. I figured there might be another werewolf in my territory and in all honesty I just didn't want to get into a fight over it. Most time, lone wolves just pass through, and if something like Joanie happens, well they take care of it."

"But you made Joanie," Jimmy said. "

"Yet I did not know that," Jake shot back. "I knew, knew for certain I had not attacked or bitten anyone in over a decade. I knew it was not my doing."

There was silence for a moment.

"But it was," Elle whispered.

Jake slammed on the break and pulled off the road, he turned in the seat leaning over at Elle and Jimmy. She went into a protective posture immediately putting her small form in between the big bad wolf and her pup of a brother.

"I know," Jake said through clenched teeth, his fangs digging into his gums. Elle never backed down, never dropped her gaze and held up her chin, perhaps not realizing the perfect line of her neck bared before Jake, was as much of a challenge as actual words. Both sat there staring and fighting to not surrender. Jake broke first, he pulled back, blinking furiously bringing his human side back into control.

"I know that it is my fault now, I did not know it that the time," Jake looked away. "I regret it, I regret I could not help her, and that she didn't tell me."

Elle held her tongue. Joanie had been a real bitch even as a human. She loved the power struggle and to belittle others. Being a werewolf had only made her deadly and even more power hungry. Jake looked back at her. Elle had remembered when Joanie had confronted them in the night club before all hell had broken loose, Jake had offered to help, to teach her control and that bitch had mocked him before digging her claws into his stomach and trying to kill him.

"Sorry," Elle said.

Jake shook his head. "It is hard for all of us. We keep reacting to one another."

"Yeah what is up with that?" Jimmy asked.

"You too are just too new," Jake smiled. "You don't fully understand all the non-verbal body language you keep transmitting that just, well raises my hackles. I should know better."

"Does it get any easier?" Elle asked.

Jake for once did not give a quick answer. "That is up to you, but from what I have seen thus far, yeah, it gets easier."

He turned back to the car, checked the road and pulled back onto the asphalt. Elle sat back thinking for a moment. Jimmy, she realized had been absentmindedly rubbing her back. The physical contact made her feel better and seemed to give him the same reassurance.

"I am taking you home," Jake announced. "I am sure people will turn up with questions, we better get your story straight."

"Well we can always tell them that we're just a bunch of were wolves out for a late night howl," Jimmy said.

"Jimmy!" Elle said, but it was Jake who laughed.

"I doubt that will be good enough. How about your dog went crazy and you ran because you were afraid for your life."

"It's a start," Elle said and the three of them began to discuss their options, as the sun rose higher in the sky. Elle had to admit things felt surreal and yet almost comfortable. She caught herself wondering, _Am I comfortable being a monster? _

t


End file.
